Where: Ingrao, 17 East 64th Street, New York City, NY
When: October 9th through November 30th, 2003, 10am to 6pm Monday through Friday
Contact: Blair Voltz Clarke, info@voltzclarke.com
The Artists
London born Natasha Law is a well known principally through her long collaboration with the Frost/French label designing everything from prints to show sets. Although her work has appeared regularly in the UK Sunday Times Style Section, her formal visual art is only now being exposed internationally. Law’s first major exhibition at Space Gallery recently in London completely sold out. Natasha comes from a creative family, her brother being a major Hollywood actor.
Educated at Camberwell College, Law ‘s schematic semi-nudes suggest both intimacy and independence. The paintings created for Kaleidoscope are produced with household gloss on metal panels and deal with themes of privacy and voyeurism. The images are in fact the result of an intense process developed by Law and her models. “I ask my models to dance around, dress and undress- in the cold light of day. It’s a very intimate situation. I guess it all sounds a bit Penthouse to an outsider, but in fact it’s lovely seeing someone start to enjoy letting go”
The New York artist Adam Cvijanovic has been called a Renaissance Man. A self taught artist, his ambitious projects include portraits and murals. His many commissioned works have included photographer Henry Buhl’s loft where he created a frieze that appears to be stolen off a Roman Temple but actually reveals a complex still life of photography equipment.
Inspired by Zuber wallpaper, Cvijanovic uses materials from oil to tempera and takes what he calls “the kind of places you see in car commercials” and tweaks their larger-than-life qualities. He has developed a system that allows the client to mix and match panels from within each series. The use of archival paint on Tyvek means that a panorama for an entire room can be removed and stored in rolls that weigh only about twenty pounds — and fit in the bottom of a closet. “Commercial art has never been my primary agenda, but the wallpaper project is one that bridges both worlds,” says Cvijanovic. “It can be either provocative or completely innocuous, and that’s fine with me.
Norwegian, Marit Følstad’s work is in part defined by the fact that she was born in the Arctic Circle, where three months of endless winter days are finally broken by the euphoric June arrival of the Midnight sun. She has exhibited extensively throughout the world in places such as Australia, Scotland, Chicago and Georgia and her work is represented in many collections in Norway. An artist proficient in many mediums, Følstad uses video, sound, performance, photography and installation.
In her most recent body of work, she explores issues concerning love and reality and creates a dialogue based on notions of desire, private feelings and public space. Her video installation for Kaleidoscope creates an intense texture in an almost colorless background. “I am interested in the juxtaposition between my work and the context in which it will be viewed. The forms and media I choose for each project are selected very carefully and intentionally, as this is very important in how the viewer will access the work”, Følstad comments. In the case of Ingrao, the monotoned lacquered walls provide her canvas.
Christine Nachmann was born near Munich in the south of Germany in 1969. After school, she successfully completed a 3-year apprenticeship to train as a professional photographer. Since then, she has worked in a wide variety of fields within photography, exploring diverse areas such as portrait, fashion, theatre, film and advertising, but her passion lies with landscape and nature as her favorite subjects. By printing her work virtually life size, Nachmann captures the true beauty from the Western Cape.
An assignment brought her to South Africa, where she reluctantly fell in love with the apartheid-torn country and decided to move there. Using photography as a medium to explore landscape and the natural environment, her search for a more authentic visual language led her to start practicing meditation. Since 1995 Nachmann has been a practitioner of Zen Buddhism, a process that has influenced and shaped her photographic vision considerably.” Meditation teaches me awareness, it teaches me to really see what is in front of me, rather than my ideas and concepts of what I think I see. Zen helps me to look at the world with fresh eyes.”
The Curator
Kaleidoscope marks the debut of Voltz Clarke Contemporary Inc., an independent company spearheaded by southern entrepreneur, Blair Clarke. Focusing on the exposure of contemporary artists through private consulting and public exhibitions, Clarke has a particular emphasis on introducing international artists to the US market. Her experience combines over seven years of East coast gallery associations (Galerie Timothy Tew, Atlanta, Forum Gallery, NY), curatorial projects and a consulting relationship with Sanford L. Smith & Associates. “Blair’s endless energy searching for those who have the passion to create is astounding”, comments show promoter Sanford Smith. The new company will maintain a roster of 10 – 12 artists and their current works will be available for private viewing or online. Clarke who travels widely believes that one should cast the net wide in order to identify new talent. In a world which is increasingly globalized, she is intrigued by the rich diversity in the work found often in the strangest places.
The Context
Noted interior designer and collector Anthony Ingrao has changed contemporary perceptions of antiques with his groundbreaking uptown gallery. Open less than a year, Ingrao showcases 18th to 20th century antiques alongside cutting-edge contemporary artwork all within a stunning minimalist setting. “The gallery is a forum for dialogue between modernity and classicism,” comments Ingrao. “Creating an inspirational context in which to set antiques has enabled me to explore the history, relevance and sheer joy of collecting in the modern world,” he continues.
Ingrao, along with Creative Director Randolph Kemper, created a luminous three-floor space in a 19th century landmark townhouse. With white marble floors, streamlined brushed steel detailing, and generous sources of natural light, each exhibited object is accented against the simplicity of a sleek monochromatic backdrop. Jennifer Olshin, formerly furniture and decorative arts Specialist at Christie’s strengthens the team as gallery director.
As a collector for 25 years, Ingrao has earned a reputation for his distinctive taste, eye for detail, and encyclopedic knowledge of a broad spectrum of antiques. Every piece is unique and has been selected for its artistic value, high standard of design excellence, craftsmanship, and quality of materials.
